Yes, they're all so different. My Congo Grey is VERY loud, very atypical for his kind, so don't assume they're all quiet like a lot of the literature states (he could never, ever live in an apartment setting). He also HATES showers and actually growls that African Grey Unhappy Sound Growl if you even verbally suggest he might need a shower, then spends the next hour beating up his toys and muttering, "Hate showers! Hate showers!"
They are certainly challenging parrots. Their intelligence makes you have to think all the time. I spend a great part of my day inventing ways to keep my Grey entertained (they grow bored easily) and busy. I fill his foraging toys (rotated, of course, he has just about all they offer) twice a day. It takes him just a few minutes to open them all, and he delights in it. They NEED intellectual stimulation. Of all the parrots we keep, they seem to suffer the worst from lack of things to do and engage in. Of all my parrots, the Grey is the most high maintenance (and also the biggest mess maker; he eats about the same amount of food a day a small child would consume). When my Grey was young, I introduced him to hundreds of people, handing him to anyone. As a result, he is so comfortable with strangers that I can hand him to anyone. He really seems to enjoy it almost more than someone that might never of held a parrot on his or her arm before. He studies them and will often make some almost uncanny remark, leaving them speechless. He's ten now and is still coming up with new phrases and learns new words almost daily. He has never picked his feathers, over groomed, or bitten anyone hard enough to draw blood. He will eat anything, and even prefers healthy fare over snack foods. I'm proud of the way we raised him and how he is progressing, but I still am concerned that I'm giving him all he needs to be fulfilled and completely happy. That's why I'm here, like you, learning more. Trying out new toys, training techniques, behavior modifiers, and foraging opportunities for him. Good luck with your new Grey. They will astound you every day.
